A Probing Problem
by Storyspindler
Summary: Kathryn Janeway faces an unusual consequence after an unusual encounter with a probe
1. Default Chapter Title

Title: A Probing Problem   
Author: Storyspindler   
Spoiler: None   
Disclaimer: These characters do not belong to me, except the ones that you've never seen anywhere else, but don't worry, I'm just having a little fun   
with them.   
Author's Notes: Though I've been writing fanfic for a while, this is the first time that I've had the nerve to post one. Please be honest, and for those of you who saw this earlier, I hope that this works better   


"Captain," Harry Kim's voice broke the silence on the bridge, "sensors are picking up some kind of probe on an intercept course." 

"Shields up. On screen." Immediately, Janeway had slipped on her "captain's" demeanor as she stood. 

Chakotay stood beside her as she studied the object that appeared on the view screen. Her face turned into a frown as she attempted to make out the   
symbols on the probe. 

"There appears to be some kind of name on it." Her voice held some kind of soft wonder. 

"Captain, the probe is emitting a beam. It appears to be scanning us." Tuvok returned his captain back to reality. 

"Shield status?" Janeway demanded. 

"Shields are in tact, but the beam is passing right through them." 

A fire began to burn within Janeway's mind, sending flames of pain down her nerves. Her captain's instinct ordered her to suppress the pain, but even   
the strongest captain's have a limited pain tolerance. 

A gasp of pain escaped her lips, snapping Chakotay's attention towards her. 

"Captain?" 

Janeway couldn't hear him. The pain was screaming too loudly inside of her body. Her hands moved toward her head in an attempt to block the origin   
of the pain. 

"Block the transmission!" Chakotay ordered as he placed an arm around Janeway's shoulders, meaning to ease her back to her chair. 

"The probe is downloading massive information into our data banks!" Harry announced. 

"I'm reading structural instability in the probe." Tuvok reported seconds before the probe erupted into a ball of flame, leaving only a pile of debris. 

Chakotay felt Janeway go limp in his arms. With one hand he gently lowered her to the floor; with the other, he tapped his commbadge. 

"Bridge to transporter room. Medical emergency. Two to beam directly to sickbay." 

As they materialized in sickbay, Janeway's form began to seize. 

"What happened?" The Doctor demanded as Chakotay helped him lift her onto a biobed. 

"She was scanned by some sort if probe." 

The Doctor ran his tricorder over her as her heart stopped.   


It was the pain that finally pulled Janeway back into consciousness. 

"Kathryn? Are you awake?" 

"Chakotay?" Her voice sounded weak, and her eyes weren't focusing correctly. 

"Welcome back to the world of the living." The Doctor stated, scanning her. 

"What happened?" 

"You went into neural shock and cardiovascular distress. You gave us quite a scare for about seven hours." 

"How do you feel?" Chakotay asked gently. 

"I've been better." 

"Are you in pain?" Concern generated from The Doctor's eyes. 

"A little." She admitted. 

The Doctor pressed a hypospray into her neck. "This should help." 

"Thank you." Tired eyelids fluttered closed. 

"Is she going to be okay?" 

The Doctor nodded. "She should make a full recovery."   


Captain Janeway stepped carefully into sickbay, knowing that she was on the verge of heaving her stomach inside out yet again. 

"Captain?!" The Doctor rushed over to her, arriving just in time to catch her as her legs buckled beneath her. 

Janeway felt The Doctor leading her over to a biobed as a cloud of dizziness encompassed her brain and nausea gripped tighter at her stomach. 

Somehow, The Doctor got her onto the biobed. He flipped open his tricorder and ran it over the captain's body. He was about to chastise her for not   
taking care of herself, as evidenced by the anemia he was detecting, when the tricorder picked up something else. The Doctor's eyes actually widened in   
shock as he read the display on his tricorder. 

"Doctor, what's wrong with me?" 

"You have a slight case of anemia." 

"Doctor, this is more than a slight case of anemia." 

The Doctor averted his gaze, sending a wave of panic through Janeway. 

"Doctor?" 

"You're pregnant." 

"WHAT!" Janeway bolted upright, regretting the action instantly as the nausea and dizziness overwhelmed her. 

The Doctor pressed a hypospray to her neck and eased her back down. "Take it easy, Captain. Let me explain what I can. The embryo growing inside   
of you is a six- week-old half-human, half-Nosnhoj." 

"The probe?" 

The Doctor nodded. "Usually under these circumstances, I would normally offer you the option of terminating the pregnancy, but I'm afraid that I   
can't." 

"Why not?" 

"In Nosnhoj pregnancies, a hormone is secreted which telepathically bonds the mother and unborn child. I'm reading that hormone in your system,   
and I'm afraid that a termination of the pregnancy could prove fatal." 

"I see." She blinked back tears. She felt trapped, violated. 

"Feel better?" 

He helped eased her up, and she was thankful that the dizziness and nausea had dissipated. 

"Yes. Thank you, Doctor." 

"I'd like to see you daily for a while because of the nature of your situation." 

"Okay." 

"I'd also like you to take some time off to think about things." 

"Doctor-" 

"Please." 

"I'll take today off unless there's an emergency." She acquiesced.   


Janeway entered her quarters. A sudden burst of passion burst inside of her as she heaved a vase against the wall.   
As the glass shattered upon impact, Janeway's world shattered around her. She sank wearily onto the couch with violent sobs racking her body.   
Emotion upon emotion piled inside of her, and even Captain Janeway could not withstand the burden. 

She was so consumed by her confused state that her ears became deaf to the multiple chimings of the door. 

Chakotay rushed in to find his friend in emotional tumult. 

"Kathryn?" He whispered as he approached her. 

Janeway looked up at him in surprise as she attempted to compose herself. 

"Chakotay, what are you doing here?" 

"I rang the chime and didn't get an answer. I was concerned. What's wrong?" 

Janeway swiped the tears from her face. "Nothing." 

"Kathryn, please don't lie to me. There's obviously something wrong. I don't think that I've ever seen you cry before. Not like this." 

He sat next to her, and she averted his gaze. 

"Let me help. Don't try to do this alone." 

Her eyes met his as she fought an inward battle within herself. 

Finally, she managed, "Do you remember the probe that scanned me six weeks ago." 

How could he ever forget those awful seven hours standing in sickbay? How could he ever forget that every time The Doctor and Paris lost her pulse   
or brain activity, he was terrified that he had lost his captain... and his best friend? 

He nodded. 

"There seem to be an unexpected side effect." She lowered her eyes again as she whispered, "I'm pregnant." 

Chakotay wasn't quite sure what happened next, but somehow Kathryn Janeway ended up in his arms. He held her close to him, trying to protect her   
from her pain and not caring that her tears were soaking his uniform. 

Janeway felt herself in Chakotay's strong arms, and for a brief moment she felt like a little girl again, safe in Daddy's arms. 

A few eternities seemed to pass them before the moment was finally broken. 

Janeway's sobbing calmed, and Chakotay released her to wipe the last remaining tears from her cheeks. 

"I don't know what to do, Chakotay. I can't captain Voyager and raise a child at the same time." 

"No, Kathryn, you can't, but you can be a captain and a mother with the help of your crew. Ask Samantha Wildman. The crew came together to help   
her through the difficult times, and look at how Naomi is turning out. Let us help you, Kathryn. Together, we can through anything. I promise you   
that."   


Janeway was picking up the shattered pieces of the vase when the door chimed again. Chakotay had offered to stay with her, but she had insisted that   
she needed some time alone. 

"Come in." 

This time, the doors slid open to reveal Tuvok. His eyes narrowed slightly as he noticed that her eyes appeared to have a hint of redness and swelling. 

"Tuvok?" She was surprised. She had thought that it would have been Chakotay checking up on her. "What can I do for you?" 

"Actually, Captain, I came to ask if there was something that I could do for you. The Doctor stated that you were not well." 

"The Doctor was not entirely truthful." 

"Indeed? Then may I ask what has caused your emotional distress." 

Janeway offered him a smile. "I can't hide anything from you can I? I'm six weeks pregnant, Tuvok." 

She watched as Tuvok's brows knit. "The probe?" 

She nodded, determined not to lose her composure in front of her Vulcan friend. 

Tuvok closed the distance between them, and in an uncharacteristic move, he placed a reassuring hand on her arm. 

"If there's anything that I can do to aid you, my friend, do not hesitate to ask."   


The next morning, Janeway was pulling on her uniform when she noticed the slightest bulge in her abdomen. Her hands went there instinctively as if   
she could feel the life growing inside of her. 

She put on her uniform, self-conscious that everyone could tell that she was pregnant simply by looking at her. Steeling herself, she headed for   
sickbay. 

"Captain, how are you feeling this morning?" 

"Just a little morning sickness, Doctor." 

"Up here." The Doctor padded the biobed. "I just want to run a quick scan." 

Janeway hopped onto the biobed, and The Doctor ran his tricorder over her. 

"Everything appears to be normal." 

"May I return to duty now?" 

"By all means, but take it easy." 

"I will." She pushed herself off of the biobed and started towards the door, but she stopped and turned back towards The Doctor. "Doctor?" 

"Yes, Captain?" 

"I'm going to call a meeting of the senior staff to tell them. I might need your help." 

"Of course. Just let me know."   


Janeway glanced around the Observation Lounge where her senior staff had convened. Chakotay met her eyes and gave her an encouraging nod, but   
she just couldn't find the words to say. The tension built inside of the room as the silence persisted. 

Finally, Harry Kim's voice penetrated the silence. "Captain, is there something wrong?" 

She offered him a small but fleeting smile. "I'm afraid so, Harry. At least things have gotten a little more complicated." She diverted her glance so that   
she couldn't see them staring at her in concern. "I'm pregnant." Her voice was barely above a whisper. 

Her words were so soft that those who were not prepared for the news were not certain that they had heard her right. 

Looking at Chakotay, Neelix asked, "Who's the father?" 

Janeway didn't even notice the flush that crept up into her first officers cheeks. She began to open her mouth to explain, but she felt the tears threaten   
to break from her eyes. The Doctor met her eyes, and she gave him a slight nod. 

"Apparently, when the probe scanned Captain Janeway six weeks ago, it impregnated her as well." 

Tom's face had taken on an unhealthy pallor. "Do you know why it did this?" 

Janeway shook her head. "No. I wish that I did-" Her voice was cut off by a gasp of pain. Her eyes were receiving were receiving one set of images   
while her brain was receiving another. Two realities were blurring together in an attempt to achieve dominance. The battle overwhelmed her, and   
unconsciousness consumed her. Her body fell limply into Chakotay's arms.   


"How is she, Doctor?" Chakotay's eyes flashed with with anxiety. 

"Her vitals are stable, but I'm concerned about the elevated levels of Sirknium in her system." 

"Sirknium?" Tuvok questioned with a raised eyebrow. 

"It's the hormone that links the minds of mother and child. I'm afraid that she's having some kind of reaction to it. She won't respond." 

"Is she going to be all right?" Fear clenched a fight tightly around Chakotay's heart. 

"I honestly don't know. We're in uncharted waters. Theoretically, she could wake up anytime now, or she might not ever come out of it. I simply   
can't give you an answer." 

"May we see her?" Tuvok posed the question as Chakotay could no longer trust his vocal chords to work properly. 

"Of course, but I don't know if she'll be able to hear you." The Doctor stepped to the side and allowed them to move to their friend's bedside.   
Janeway appeared to be sleeping. Her breathing was slow and even, but her skin did appear slightly paler than it should. Chakotay took one of her   
hands. Tuvok looked down at her with not quite an impassive look on his face. 

"Commander, I'll take the bridge." 

It was a simple statement, but Chakotay knew that Tuvok was offering him the chance to be alone with Kathryn. 

"I'll contact you if she wakes up." 

Tuvok nodded.   


"Z'ret, I have something to tell you." 

"What is it Q'wem?" 

"We're going to have a baby." 

The two ended up in each other's arms, crying in joy. 

Janeway watched them, heart wrenching that she couldn't have met her pregnancy with the same happiness. They couldn't see or hear her. She had   
tried to get their attention, but it was as if she was in the alien created illusion of her death again except for the fact that she wasn't dead. She just didn't   
exist.   


Chakotay stared down at Janeway's unresponsive body. "Kathryn, I don't know if you can hear me, but I need you to come back. I promised you   
that we'd get through this together, but I can't do it alone." 

A tear trailed down Chakotay's face. 

He felt a hand placed upon his shoulder. "Commander, go get some rest. I'll notify you immediately if she wakes up." 

Chakotay looked at her reluctantly. 

"Go on. It won't do anyone any good if you end up in here as well."   


"How are they, Doctor?" 

"I'm sorry, Z'ret. There was nothing that we could do for your wife. She lost too much blood." 

"The baby?" 

"You have an 8 pound 14 ounce baby girl." 

"Is she all right? That's awfully small." 

Janeway's eyes widened. That was considered small? 

"Her vitals are steady and strong. She should be just fine. Would you like to see her?" 

"Yes." 

"Follow me." 

The doctor led them to the nursery and lifted one of the infants from the incubators. "Does this little angel have a name?" 

"X'net." He whispered as the doctor slipped her into his arms. 

Janeway recognized it as the name on the probe. 

"I'll leave the two of you alone." 

"Hi there little one. I'm your daddy, and I love you so much. Your mommy loves you too, and she's so sorry that she can't be here with you." 

He began to cry, and tears glistened in Janeway's eyes.   


"Commander, may I have a word with you?" 

Chakotay turned in his chair that The Doctor had placed next to the captain's bed. "What is it, Neelix?" 

"You need to know that the crew morale is plummeting." 

"Of course it is, Neelix. It's only natural." 

"What I meant to say, Commander, is that morale is suffering worse than it should. The crew doesn't know what's going on, and rumors are flying   
everywhere." 

"What do you want me to do, Neelix, announce everything to the entire crew?" 

"Yes." 

"Neelix, I can't. She'd want to announce her pregnancy personally." 

"She also wouldn't want the crew to suffer unnecessarily. The Doctor doesn't know when or if she'll regain consciousness. She'd want you to tell   
them under the circumstances." 

Chakotay sighed. "You're right, Neelix, she would. Will you sit with her for a moment? I'll be on the bridge." 

"Of course, Commander. Thank you."   


Chakotay strode onto the bridge, and Tuvok retreated from the command center to tactical. 

"Tuvok, open ship wide communications." 

"Ship wide communications open." 

"This is Commander Chakotay to all crew members. As you all are probably aware, Captain Janeway is in sickbay. What you don't know is why.   
Captain Janeway would've liked to tell you this herself, but under the circumstances, I think that she'd want me to tell you. When the probe scanned   
her six weeks ago, it impregnated her. Right now, there is a hormone being produced in the captain's system that is unique to Nosnhoj pregnancies.   
The Doctor believes that the captain is having a reaction to this hormone. Right now, her vitals are strong, and The Doctor predicts that she will make a   
full recovery. When that happens, she's going to need your full support. Chakotay out."   


Chakotay walked back into sickbay to find Lieutenant Carey sitting at the captain's side. 

"Lieutenant, what are you doing here? Where's Neelix?" 

"It's my watch, sir." 

"What?" 

"Well, after you made the announcement, a group of us found Neelix and told him that we wanted turns sitting with her. He's starting a schedule of   
hour shifts." 

Chakotay was taken aback. Kathryn would be so touched. 

"It's a great idea." He acknowledged, smiling. "She'd really appreciate it." 

"Thank you, sir."   


"Daddy, we're all going to die, aren't we?" It was a big question for a five-year-old. 

"No, sweetheart." 

"Daddy, don't lie to me. I know that the asteroid is going to destroy this planet. I've seen your calculations." 

"You're such a smart little girl. Come here." Z'ret pulled his daughter into an embrace. 

"Daddy, isn't there some way that we can leave something behind? We just can't die." 

"I'm working on something, Tseni. I promise that there will be something left of us."   


"There it goes, Tseni." 

"I love you, Daddy." 

"I love you too." 

Janeway watched as the asteroid streamed into the planet's atmosphere. It impacted, causing massive earthquakes and throwing Janeway to the   
ground. She didn't have time to push herself up before her world exploded...   
Leaving her in a black surrounding face-to-face with Z'ret. 

"Do you understand now? I did this for my people, but I mostly did this for her." 

"I understand why you constructed the probe, but I don't understand why you didn't give me a choice." 

His eyes widened. "It should have. Was it malfunctioning?" 

"Actually, it was. It blew up right after it finished downloading everything into our database." 

"Then I must apologize. It was never my intention to force pregnancy on anyone." 

"It's okay. You had a beautiful daughter." 

"I did. She didn't deserve to die so young. She wanted a baby brother by the way." 

Janeway smiled. "I'll see what I can do." 

"Thank you, and good luck." 

The mental image faded, and Janeway opened her eyes. Her world was still fuzzy, but her ears clearly heard Naomi's voice call for The Doctor. 

"Welcome back, Captain. How do you feel?" 

"I feel fine." She started to push herself into a sitting position, but The Doctor placed a restraining hand on her shoulder. 

"Don't try to get up just yet." 

"Doctor, I'm fine." 

"Captain, please don't get up just yet. You don't want to risk hurting the baby." Naomi pleaded. 

Janeway looked at The Doctor incredulously. "You told them?" 

"You've been out for five days. Commander Chakotay made a ship wide announcement. We weren't sure how long you were going to be   
unresponsive." 

The doors to sickbay opened, admitting Chakotay. 

"Kathryn, how do you feel?" 

"I'm fine, Chakotay." 

"Doctor, could you give us a couple of minutes?" 

"Of course. Come on, Naomi." 

Chakotay sat down in the chair next to the bed as Janeway sat up. 

"The Doctor tells me that you announced my pregnancy to the crew." 

"We didn't know when you would come out of it. I thought that you would want the crew to know what was going on." 

"Chakotay, it's all right. I understand. I think that you made the right choice." She paused for a moment. "Was I really out for five days?" 

He nodded. "What's wrong?" 

"It's just that I lived five years in five days." 

Chakotay frowned. "What? Kathryn, you haven't moved from this biobed." 

"I know, but when Tom asked the question about why the probe impregnated me, it triggered something left over from the probe." 

"Did it tell you why?" 

She nodded. "The baby is the only thing left of its people. Everyone else died when the planet was hit by an asteroid. In a way, it was the last wish of   
a dying girl." She adverted her gaze. "I was supposed to get a choice. How is the crew taking it?" 

"Probably better than you are. They created a schedule to sit with you in order to demonstrate their support." 

"Really?" 

"Really. The crew is very concerned for you." 

"I'll be all right, Chakotay. I just need some time to adjust."   


Well that's it for now. I will post more depending upon respnses to this, so please r+r.   



	2. Default Chapter Title

Title: A Probing Problem Chapter 2   
Author: Storyspindler   
Rating: PG   
Spoilers: Well, I guess that I would say you need general knowledge of the show, including the final season.   
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters. I'm just borrowing them for a while, and if TPTB want to take some notes, they are more than welcome.   
Author's notes: This is a continuation of A Probing Problem, and it would probably be helpful to read that one first. This one has to be dedicated to my parasitology professor. Thanks Dr. Mitschler. Also, for those wondering whether or not this is J/C, I would have to say yes, but for those of you against the pairing, you shouldn't find any of this hard to digest. Remember, some of the best relationships stem from the strongest of friendships. 

At only ten weeks along, Janeway pulled on her maternity uniform for the first time. She smoothed the fabric over her slight abdominal bulge, watching her profile in the mirror and deciding that she looked utterly ridiculous. Whoever heard of a captain in a maternity uniform? She sighed loudly, trying to force back the images of her reoccurring nightmare involving encounters with a new alien species, who would burst into laughter at the sight of her, but what caused her the most distress was the fact that the laughter spread to her own bridge crew as well.   
  
Tugging at her jacket one more time with dissatisfaction, she resigned herself to the fact that she was only going to get larger. About to turn away from the mirror and step out of her quarters, she stopped short at a strange sensation in her abdomen. It was soft like a single butterfly tickling her from the inside. 

The frown on her face melted into a look of wonder as she realized that she had just felt her baby move for the first time, and her hands moved unconsciously to caress the spot as if she could communicate to the baby through her touch. Suddenly, the concepts of being pregnant and having a baby converged in her conscious mind. With a small smile finally alighting upon her features, she left her quarters.   
  


The Doctor smiled as Janeway walked into sickbay for her weekly visit. As the pregnancy continued smoothly, her routine visits had decreased from daily to weekly. "Well, I see that you decided on a change of attire this morning.   
  
"Don't rub it in, Doctor." The command in her tone was also laced with jocularity as she boosted herself onto a biobed. "I think that I felt the baby move this morning. It was like someone was tickling me from the inside." 

"It's very likely. According to the medical data that the probe downloaded into _Voyager_'s memory, the timings right." He ran the tricorder over her. "The baby's looking good, Captain, but I'd like you to put on a little more weight." 

She sat up, astonishment clearly evident on her face. "You can't be serious. I'm only ten weeks, and I'm already in my maternity uniform." 

"Captain," The Doctor looked annoyed as if tired of the conversation or finding the concept too menial to discuss, "we've already discussed that you're going to have to put on more weight than a normal human pregnancy because this isn't a normal human pregnancy. The Nosnhoj genes are obviously dominating the fetal development, and you're going to have to compensate. If you don't put on a little more weight, I'm going to have to start restricting your duty."   
  
The Doctor's proclamation had effectively revived the discomfort and dissatisfaction she had experienced earlier that morning. She glanced down at the rounded protrusion of her abdomen, small as it was, and rubbed it self-consciously. When The Doctor opened his mouth the say something, she pushed herself off of the biobed.   
  
"Thank you, Doctor. I'll see you next week at the same time." 

The Doctor shook his head. Despite everything and underneath it all, she was still the captain. She still had to pretend as if she was invincible and nothing bothered her. At least she had to eat and sleep regularly now.   
  


Janeway settled into her chair, relieved to be on the bridge where she could block her insecurities and be in control. 

It wasn't meant to be. 

Smiling, Chakotay leaned over to her with his voice lowered. "The uniform looks good, Captain. It suits you." 

Her head began to throb in protest at having to work so hard to block the resurgence of her uneasiness. She was the captain, and she had to remain strong in the presence of her crew, no matter the circumstances. As the throbbing refused to dissipate, she knew that she needed some time alone to simply get her mind of everything. 

"Commander, you have the bridge. I'll be in my ready room." 

She went immediately to the replicator, "Computer, cof-" Catching herself in time, she changed her order, "Water. Fifteen degrees Celsius." 

She missed her coffee, and the decaffeinated variety just wasn't the same.   
  
Predictably, the door chimed. She didn't want to talk to him, but she knew that if she ignored the chiming, he would only become worried and would use his authorization code to open the door. 

"Come in." A smile of triumph nearly snuck through her defenses as Chakotay stepped into the ready room. "Commander, what can I do for you?" 

"I just wanted to apologize if I said something to offend you." 

She averted his gaze before responding. "You didn't, Chakotay." 

"Then what's bothering you? Does it have anything to do with your appointment this morning?" Concern gripped him as he translated her silence as an affirmation of his prediction. Stepping towards her he questioned, "Is there something wrong with the baby?" 

Her head snapped up, and her words came just as quickly. "No. The baby's fine." 

His anxiety had yet to be assuaged. "Are you okay?" 

"Yeah. The Doctor just wants me to put on a little more weight." 

Chakotay struggled not to release a sigh of relief. She had scared him for a minute, really scared him. "Kathryn, does the weight gain bother you?"   
  
"Not really. It's just that putting my hands on my hips doesn't seem to have the same effect any more." She demonstrated with a contagious smile. 

Though he was smiling, silent alarms were going off in Chakotay's head. He knew he too well, and that knowledge was telling him that she was using humor to hide the truth. 

She knew him too well, and that knowledge was telling her that she was not fooling him and that he was not leaving until she talked to him. Motioning towards the couch in an invitation for him to join her, she led the way to it. 

Sinking into the fabric she began, "Chakotay, I look ridiculous, and I'm only going to get bigger." 

_You look beautiful_. His heart voiced the words, but his tongue could not.   
  
"I just don't look like a captain. How can you demand respect while wearing maternity clothes?" 

"Captain, the crew isn't going to lose respect for you. In fact, they probably respect you more than they ever did. It takes a strong person to deal with the situation you've been forced into. I for one can't imagine being placed in the same situation." 

Janeway nearly choked on her water at the mental image of Chakotay in a maternity uniform. 

At Chakotay's confused and slightly hurt expression, she tried to explain. "I'm sorry, Chakotay, but you have to admit that the mental picture of you in my exact situation is rather amusing." 

Chakotay joined in the laughter more because it had been a long time since he'd heard her truly laugh than because of her statement. 

Janeway placed a friendly hand on his knee. "Thanks, Chakotay. I needed that."   
  


Neelix slid into a chair around the table which Tom, BíElanna, and Harry were dining. 

"Look out." Tom teased. "He has that look in his eyes." 

"You're right. He's up to something." B'Elanna agreed. 

"What can we do for you, Neelix?" Harry inquired, ignoring his compatriots. 

"I'd like to elicit your help on something. I'd like to throw the captain a surprise baby shower. It would be a great boost for morale, especially hers."   
  
BíElanna smiled as she sipped her coffee. "I don't know, Neelix. The captain seems to have ways of finding out what's happening on her ship. You might have bitten off more than you can chew." 

"Oh, come on BíElanna." Neelix was enthused and was beginning to add hand motions along with his dialogue. "Where's your sense of adventure. Since when has the crew of _Voyager ever_ backed out of a challenge?"   
  
Tom, who was always ready for mischief, smiled at his wife. "He's got you there, BíElanna. How about you, Harry? Are you up for the challenge?" 

Harry's eyes glinted as he turned back to Neelix, "What did you have in mind?" He concluded his statement with a bite of Neelix's pie that actually pretty good.   
  


Captain Janeway entered sickbay at The Doctor's request, thinking that it had something to do with her present condition. She was surprised to see sickbay amazingly full. That was an understatement. It was overflowing. There were patients everywhere. 

In the midst of the pandemonium, she caught sight of The Doctor. Weaving through the crowd, she called his name. 

Seeing her, he met her halfway. "Captain-" 

She didn't let him continue. "Doctor, what's going on here?" 

"This is a very unique case of mass food poisoning." He urged her to follow him as he continued to his next patient, Tom Paris. "It appears that the tricorders missed a parasite encysted in the fruit that was picked yesterday. It excysted upon contact with the lowered pH of the stomach."   
  
"Yeah, Captain. Don't eat the pie. It's a killer." Tom groaned. 

Placing a hand on his shoulder, Janeway spoke softly, "Hang in there, Tom. That's an order." 

He managed a quick smile before his face screwed up into another wince against the nausea. His face was flushed and peppered with beads of perspiration. 

"He looks feverish, Doctor."   
  
"He is. They all have high fevers and intense nausea." 

"Can you do anything for them?" 

"I've tried all the normal parasiticidal treatments, but this parasite keeps shedding its protein coat and replacing it with a new one, not unlike the Terran schistosomes. I need some time to work on a solution, but I'm a little overwhelmed here. There have already been thirty-four reported cases." 

Sickbay's doors opened to reveal a couple more members of the crew stumbling in. 

"Captain, I'd like permission to turn the mess hall into a temporary triage facility."   
  
"Permission granted." They continued walking through the patients with The Doctor injecting his patients with a hypospray in an effort to treat the symptoms. "Doctor, do you think that the parasite is lethal?" 

"Truthfully, Captain, the one I'm most concerned with is Naomi. She was the first admitted, and the infection is much more advanced in her than in anyone. I don't know if it's because she's a child or because of her K'tarian genes." 

Janeway glanced around sickbay and located _Voyager_'s first-born almost immediately. Not taking her eyes off Naomi, she instructed, "Do whatever you need to, Doctor."   
  
With those words of permission, The Doctor left her, using the comm system to summon crew members who were not incapacitated, while Janeway approached Naomi's bedside. 

Her face was just as flushed as Tom's had been, but the entire surface of her skin gleamed with sweat as if the moisture was a blanket covering the surface of her body. She was also trapped in a world of feverish nightmares, attest by the occasional moans and thrashings of her little body. 

Janeway stroked an errant, soaked section of hair from her burning forehead. The right words to soothe and encourage her were not forthcoming from her lips as she found herself speechless. 

"Captain?" 

Janeway turned to see Samantha Wildman struggling to push herself into a sitting position on the adjacent biobed. Gently, Janeway guided her back down. "Take it easy, Samantha." 

"Naomi?" The fear was painfully evident in Samantha's eyes and voice. 

Unconsciously placing a hand on her abdomen in a protective gesture towards her own child, she responded, "She's going to be just fine. We're going to find a way to beat this parasitic infection. Now just relax and try to get some rest."   
  


Janeway looked away from the readouts, placing the pressure her fingers against her skull as a defense against a severe stress headache that was beginning to throb mercilessly. Seven-of-Nine and she had been working on a counter agent against the parasite for a little over six hours, and they were no closer to any answers. 

"Captain, are you ill?" Even Seven had become a little more protective of her since the announcement of her pregnancy. 

"No, Seven. Just a little headache." Even as she said it, the undercurrent of "morning" sickness was beginning to make itself known. 

"Captain." 

"What, Seven?" The words were much sharper than she intended, but the irritation in her voice did little to phase the former drone. 

"When was the last time that you had an intake of nutrients?" 

Leave it to Seven to turn a simple question into one with technical wording. 

Janeway was about to reply that she had just had lunch when she realized it wasn't true. She was on her way to the mess hall, but she was interrupted by The Doctor's summons. No wonder her body was beginning to rebel. 

Determining correctly that Janeway's unwillingness to respond to her question was verification of her theory, Seven continued. "You must take a break and ingest nutrients. You will not be serving the good of your crew if you make yourself ill or jeopardize the development of your infant.   
  
"Yes, sir." Janeway responded with an actual half-salute.   
  


The total number infected with the parasite had risen to and stabilized at fifty-six, filling both the mess hall and sickbay. Having eaten her meal, though rather quickly, Janeway was looking for The Doctor to see if he'd had any luck regarding treatment and to ask for an update on the prognosis of her ailing crew members.   
  
"Captain, I thought that I'd find you here." 

She turned to see her first officer behind her. 

"I thought Seven sent you to go get something to eat." 

It was only through amazing self-control that Janeway managed not to roll her eyes. Ever since she had revealed her pregnancy to him, he'd been acting like a nervous, expectant father. She didn't know how to convince him that she hadn't turned to porcelain simply because she was pregnant. "I did." At his skeptic look she added, "Honestly. I was just looking for The Doctor." 

She continued through the patients, with Chakotay following, but stopped when she heard Neelix call her name. 

Talaxian skin didn't flush red as human skin did. Instead, it was a yellowish tinge, but it was still evident that he was running a fever. 

"I'm sorry, Captain." 

"This wasn't your fault, Neelix. You couldn't know about the fruit being infected if our tricorders couldn't pick it up." 

His eyes wouldn't meet hers, and she knew that he wasn't about to give up the feelings of guilt he was harboring. 

"Neelix, I want you to listen to me. If the crew was ever in need of a morale officer, it's now. I need you to stop feeling guilty and think positively. Sometimes it takes a positive outlook to facilitate recovery. Think you can handle it?" 

"I'll do my best, Captain." 

"I had no doubt, Neelix." 

As she stepped away, she heard Chakotay speak so that only she could hear, "And you were worried about being a mother." 

This time, she didn't stop herself from rolling her eyes at him. "That was being a captain. It's completely different." 

"Is it?" 

Janeway didn't have to look at him to see the smug smile on his face. Whatever response she was hoping to formulate died immediately as she finally found The Doctor, who turned around immediately. "Captain, have you and Seven made any headway?" As an after thought, he nodded in Chakotay's direction, speaking his rank to acknowledge his presence. 

"Not yet. I was just coming to see how they're holding up." She knew from his question that he hadn't made any significant progress either. 

"Their parasitemia is very high, averaging between fifty and sixty percent, and since this parasite is hematopoietic, infecting the blood cells, I'm beginning to see symptoms of anemia." 

"How's Naomi?" 

The Doctor lowered his voice. "She's showing signs of slipping into a coma, and if she does, I can't guarantee that I'll be able to revive her." 

Chakotay touched her arm discreetly, knowing the soft spot she had for Naomi. 

She nodded, never losing her impassive captain's facade. "Thank you, Doctor. I think that I'll go back to work." 

Chakotay didn't speak again until they reached the hallway, "Captain, are you planning on getting some rest tonight?"   
  
She stopped dead in her tracks. "Commander." 

As soon as she used his rank with that tone, he knew that he wasn't going to like the answer. 

"I am not going to be able to sleep until we figure out a way to combat these parasites. I refuse to put the members of my crew in danger, especially a little girl, just so that I can have my beauty rest. Now, if you excuse me, Commander, I have work to do."   
  


"Seven, how goes the battle." Janeway was trying very hard not to show her frustration. 

Seven, however had no such trepidations. "I believe that this organism is the most frustrating one I've ever encountered." 

"Does that include humans?" 

"Yes, but not by much." The statement was said with a poker face any serious poker player would covet. "Are you feeling better." 

"I'm fine. Let me see what you have. Maybe a fresh perspective will help." 

The watched as the parasite once again eluded the artificial antibody, despite the initial success. 

Janeway leaned back in her chair. Her brow crinkled into a frown with an idea beginning to worm around in her head, "Seven, maybe we're approaching this the wrong way." 

"What so you mean?" 

"We've been trying to neutralize the threat from the outside, and it's the shedding of the protein coat that tripping us up, right?" 

"Yes." 

"So, what if we try attacking it from the inside. What if we can find a way to disrupt some vital function, causing it to die." 

"It would have to be something that wouldn't disrupt the uninfected host function, but your idea has merit." 

"Then let's get to work." 

Both returned to their consoles with a renewed zeal.   
  


"Captain." 

Seven's call was a proverbial splash of cold water. Under normal circumstances, Janeway figured she probably would have downed half a pot of coffee by now. 

"I think I may have found something." 

Janeway moved to get a view of her console. 

"I have run the simulation nine times now, and the result has remained the same." 

They both watched as the parasites shriveled up one by one. 

"And this wonít harm the uninfected cells." 

"No, it disrupts a protein manufacturing process unique to the parasite. The other cells are uninfected." 

"Good work, Seven. That's get this information to The Doctor as soon as possible."   
  


The Doctor stared at his tricorder with a sense of relief. All the infected members of the crew had responded well to the initial treatment, except one: Naomi Wildman. Her fever had remained dangerously high, and at one point, her heart rate had become erratic. Finally, though, her fever had broken, and she seemed to be resting comfortably. 

He sensed rather than saw someone approach him, and he knew instinctively that it was Janeway. 

"How's she doing, Doctor?" She spoke softly as not to awaken the exhausted occupants of sickbay. 

"Her feverís finally broken. She's going to be just fine." 

Janeway literally appeared as if a heavy load had just been removed from her shoulders. "Thanks good news, Doctor. Let me know if there are any changes." 

She looked as if she was dead on her feet. "Captain, may I make a suggestion?" 

"Of course, Doctor." 

"Get some sleep. Everything's under control now." 

"All right, Doctor, I think I will."   
  


Janeway entered sickbay for a quick update before heading to the bridge. 

"Doctor." 

"Good morning, Captain. Sleep well?" 

"Yes, thank you." She had grabbed just enough sleep to be able to function, but it was better than nothing. "How're they doing?"   
  
"I've released almost everyone, and I'm about ready to discharge my last patient." He nodded over to where Naomi was sitting up and talking excitedly with her mother. "Care to accompany me?" 

She gestured towards the occupied bed. "Lead the way." 

Naomi's face lit up when she saw the captain. "Captain, what are you doing here?"   
Tossing a subversive wink at Samantha, she replied, "I just came to see how my assistant was doing. How do you feel Crew man Wildman." 

"Better, Captain. Ready for duty." 

The Doctor rolled his eyes. "Not for a couple of days, young lady. I want you to return to your quarters and take it easy." He also muttered something about the captain serving as a bad influence of following medical advice on the younger crew members. 

"What was that, Doctor?" Janeway teased, knowing every syllable of his utterance. 

"Nothing, Captain. Now Naomi, can I count on you to follow my recommendations, or would you rather stay in sickbay for a couple of days?" 

Janeway didn't hear her response. Her attention was suddenly drawn to a burning sensation in her abdomen. She barely heard the cries of alarm as she doubled over in pain. The last thought that she had before her world went completely black was that there was something terribly wrong with the baby.   
  


Again, if you have actually made it to the end of this thing, my sincere thanks. Please take a couple more seconds to review it. 


	3. Default Chapter Title

Title: A Probing Problem: Chapter 3   
Author: Storyspindler   
Rating: PG   
Disclaimer: You know the drill... not mine...   
Oh, and the idea of assigning the lowercase q was not mine. It came from the Q Continuum novels by Greg Cox, but I thought that it was a great idea, so I borrowed. Besides, it makes it easier to read.   
Author's Notes: This story has quite a different tone from the first two, not to mention shorter. After that bout of seriousness, I decided that you and I needed a break. I hope you like it. 

Chakotay stepped into sickbay, thinking that The Doctor's summons was somehow related to yesterday's epidemic.   
  
The Doctor intercepted him immediately, coming as if from nowhere. "Commander, good. I need to speak with you in my office for a moment.   
  
His tone betrayed nothing, but his words were coming too quickly. Something was wrong.   
  
Entering The Doctor's office, the captain's absence did not go unnoticed, and Chakotay felt a dark foreboding creep through his body like an army of tarantulas.   
  
"There's a problem with the baby." 

Chakotay felt his blood first run cold and then drain from his face. "What kind of problem?" 

How he managed to utter those words without his voice shaking, not mention actually forming a coherent thought, he'd never know. 

"It appears that human and Nosnhoj genes are not entirely compatible. The baby's genetic structure began to break down. If she hadn't been in sickbay, I wouldn't have been able to stop the miscarriage." 

"Could she still lose the baby?" 

"It's a possibility, but it's also just as possible that she could carry the baby to term without any further complications. We're in uncharted waters." 

"But they're both okay now?" 

"They're both doing just fine. She's sleeping, and right now, it's probably the best thing for her." 

Chakotay nodded, stealing a glance at Janeway's prone form through The Doctor's office window. "Thank you, Doctor. Notify me when she wakes up."   
  


The Doctor approached Janeway's bedside as he noticed that she'd begun to stir. As he called her name softly, her eyes opened. 

"Doctor?" Her voice was breathy, and she seemed disoriented. Before The Doctor could respond, her eyes widened with her mind snapping into complete awareness. "The baby?" 

"Relax, Captain. The baby's just fine." 

Closing her eyes, her body released a sigh of relief. "What happened?" 

"The baby's genetic structure began to break down, but I was able to correct it." 

"Could it happen again?" The fear that had clawed at her heart suddenly gripped it again. 

"Honestly, yes, but we're going to take every precaution we can to guarantee that it doesn't. I'm working on adapting a cortical monitor into a fetal monitor, and I'll have it rigged to have you transported to sickbay at any sign of a problem." 

She simply nodded, unusually silent. 

"Captain, you need to understand that there was nothing you could have done to cause to prevent this." 

"I know." It was just a matter of convincing herself. She couldn't help but think of her skipped meal and menial hours of sleep. 

"Commander Chakotay requested to be informed when you awoke. Do you feel up to it?" 

"I'm all right." 

Taking her response as an affirmative, The Doctor paged Chakotay.   
  


"Kathryn?" 

Sometime between the moment The Doctor contacted Chakotay and the moment of his arrival, her eyes had drifted shut again. 

"Hi. How do you feel?" 

"I'm fine, Chakotay." 

At her words, he couldn't help but chuckle. "One of these days I'm going to learn not to ask. I already know what you're going to tell me." 

A smile formed on her face, which only increased in size as she felt a comforting and now familiar flutter. It was her first real confirmation that her baby was really okay. Her hand automatically went to the movement. 

"Kathryn?" 

She looked up to see the concern in his face that his voice reflected. "It's all right, Chakotay. The baby's moving."   
  
"What does it feel like?" 

"It tickles, actually." 

His eyes glittered mischievously, "Do you mean to tell me that the great and mighty Captain Kathryn Janeway is ticklish?" 

"A fact that I expect to remain in confidence, Commander." A yawn overtook her suddenly, and she didn't have time to suppress it entirely. 

"Get some rest, Kathryn. I'll come back to see you later."   
  


The Doctor was busy rewiring the cortical stimulator in his office when he caught a flash of light out of the corner of his visual processor. 

Immediately, he was on his feet. He had a bad feeling about this, and even as he saw the empty biobed from across sickbay, he didn't accept what had happened until he'd actually reached it. 

Janeway was gone, replaced with a note written in crayon. 

"Don't worry. We'll have Auntie Kathy home in time for dinner." 

"Sickbay to the bridge. Commander, we have a situation."   
  


Janeway was not amused.   
  
She was decked out in a baseball uniform and hat, and a small triangular flag had appeared in one hand while some sort of foam finger covered the other. To top everything off, she was standing in the middle of the stands in a very empty baseball stadium. 

"Q! Where are you?"   
  
As expected there was a flash of light. 

What she didn't expect was a cry of, "Auntie Kathy!" and an impact as the little boy ran to hug her around the legs. 

Ignoring the adult, something she was hoping to do for the rest of her lifetime, she knelt down to get a look at little q. She had to admit that he was adorable with his short, red curls and a cute little smattering of freckles on his nose. He appeared to be a human boy around the age of six. "Well, look at you. You've certainly grown up. Are you making your daddy behave?" 

Q didn't let q respond. Instead he hustled him away, telling him that he needed to find them some good seats. 

"I don't understand that child. Of all the places in the multiverse, he decides to go to a rather rustic baseball stadium. He ceratinly doesn't get his taste from his parents. But I told him that he could pick the place, and as you were so kind as to point out in our first meeting, I always keep my word." 

"Q!" She held up a hand to stop him. Unfortunately, it was the hand with the foam finger, and she pulled it down in annoyance. "What am I doing here?" 

"Why, Kathy. I owed you a favor. I decided that the time was finally right to set things straight." 

"You don't owe me anything. Now return me to my ship."   
  
Disappointed, Q pouted, "Oh, Kathy. Still obsessed about that little ship of yours. How's Chuckles?" 

"Q!" 

"Come now, Kathy. I owe you for q." 

"I believe that your lady friend deserves credit for that." 

"Kathy, don't interrupt. Besides, q is so excited about the outing with his Auntie Katy. You wouldn't want to disappoint him, would you?" 

"Q, you took me out of sickbay. My crew will be worried about me." 

"Nonsense, q left them a note." 

"Q, with your track record, I think that would give them all the more reason to be worried." 

Q mocked being shot in the heart. "Oh, my dear Kathy. How you wound me." He grinned at her, "Come on, relax. You need a vacation. Let's go find q and sit before your pretty little feet begin to swell." 

Knowing that the only way he would ever send her back to the ship was to humor him, Janeway allowed herself to be led over to where q was anxiously awaiting them. 

As soon as they sat down, Q snapped his fingers, and suddenly the stadium was bubbling with excitement and activity. 

q clapped with delight. "Oh, Daddy, can we have peanuts? Please? You said we could." 

He leaned over to Janeway, "I just spoil him so, but I can't help myself." Louder he announced, "Peanuts for everybody!" 

Suddenly a bag of peanuts appeared in Janeway's hands. "Q, I can't eat these." 

"Live a little, Kathy. Besides, they're high in protein. They won't hurt Junior any." 

"Q, why are you doing this?" 

"Why, q and I just decided to spend a day with his Auntie Kathy. Since when have I ever had any ulterior motives?" 

"Do you really want me to answer that in front of your son?" 

Q rolled his eyes. "If I didn't know any better, I'd think that you didn't like me." 

She simply stared at him. 

"Well, if you must know, I brought you to see q." 

Janeway glanced over at q, who was engrossed in watching the baseball players run out into the field. This far, q had not inherited his parents' superiority complex, but she knew that his youthful enthusiasm would be replaced all too soon. 

She turned back to Q with a question in her eyes. "You already said that, Q" 

Q rolled his eyes in exasperation with his head following. Speaking as if to the sky, he grumbled, "Humans. They're all alike." His voice took on a mocking, higher pitched tone. "Spell it out for me, Q. My mere mortal brain can't handle facts unless they're served to me on a silver platter." 

If looks could kill, Q would have been dead on the spot, despite his own immortality and omnipotence. 

"Fine. I know what it's like entering parenthood unprepared, and since I know everything, who better to advise you about your present condition?"   
  
"Q, are you trying to tell me that you abducted me from my ship to give me advice on parenting?" 

"But of course! After all, I did teach Jean-Luc about love, not to mention showing him what his life would have been like if he was always the incorrigible bore he is today." His voice trailed off as if he was now speaking to himself. "You know, I've rather neglected Jean-Luc as of late. I must remember to rectify that." 

A wave of empathy washed through her, as she sent a mental apology to her unfortunate counter-part.   
  


Chakotay was not amused. 

In fact, he was furious. 

Staring down at the wax imprints on the otherwise harmless sheet of paper, he would have given anything for one of the Q rifles because at that moment, all he wanted was to kill the obnoxious being, regardless his self-proclaimed omnipotence. 

Q had been annoying in the past, grating Chakotay's nerves with his displays toward the captain, but this time he had gone to far. 

What made it worse was that he was completely helpless. All he could do was keep Voyager on a course for the alpha quadrant and wait for Q to graciously return the captain. 

She didn't deserve any of this. 

She didn't deserve to have a pregnancy forced upon her, she didn't deserve the possible threat to her pregnancy once she had finally begun to accept it, and she certainly didn't deserve to be abducted by a self-deluded delinquent with delusions of godhood. 

"Doctor, could the captain or the baby be harmed by this prank?" 

"I seriously doubt it, Commander. In Q's previous visits, he has shown a certain... fondness for the captain. I think that is unlikely that he would allow her to come to harm." 

Bristling at the word, "fondness," Chakotay replied, "Then I guess all we can do is wait."   
  


Despite herself, Janeway found that by the end of the ninth inning, the excitement of the game had drawn her in. She had also allowed herself to subconsciously snack on the peanuts, which Q had thankfully conjured up unsalted. The last thing she needed was a lecture from The Doctor upon her return. 

Sometime in the middle of the game, q had climbed into Q's lap to see the game better, and Janeway had admit that the little boy snuggled in his father's arms was a touching scene. 

It was a scene that said so much more than the babbling drone of Q's experiences that had lasted throughout the first three innings. 

The next batter was walked, and Janeway almost laughed at the cliché. The bases were loaded, and there were two outs with the home team down by three points. 

There was only one possible ending, but q seemed oblivious, nearly bouncing on his father's legs as he tried to contain his enthusiasm. 

Q winked at her with his all-knowing smile, while the next at bat obtained a full count. 

At the next pitch, the bat made contact with a resounding crack. The ball flew right at him, and the next thing she knew, the ball was resting comfortably it a mitt that had conveniently materialized on her hand. 

The stadium exploded in a moment of chaos before becoming empty once again. 

q jumped down from his father's lap, unable to sit still any longer. "Wasn't that fun, Auntie Kathy?" 

"It sure was." She placed the ball into his hands. "I want you to have this." 

"But you caught it. It's yours."   
  
"I'm it to you." Bringing her voice down to a whisper, she continued, "Besides, there's nothing to good for my godson." 

"Thanks!" 

"Well, Kathy it's been fun. I'll try not to make it so long next time. Take care of your baby." Q moved to snap his fingers, but q interrupted. 

"Let me do it, Daddy." 

Q gestured towards his son to continue, and Janeway disappeared...   
  


Only to reappear in sickbay, still in her baseball attire. 

"Captain?" The Doctor was immediately at her side, scanning her with his tricorder. He snapped it shut with a small sigh. 

For the first time in the last couple of days, everything was as it should be.   
  


"Daddy, I don't understand. You told Auntie Kathy to take care of the baby, but-" 

His father stopped him. "Now, q. We can't give them all the answers."   


All right, I am blaming this whole thing on light-headedness due to a blood donation. Please review. 


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